NEW YORK, May 24: More than five years after COVID-19 first appeared in the United States, hundreds of people continue to die from the virus each week. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), last month saw an average of about 350 COVID-related deaths per week.

While this number remains high, it is declining and is much lower than the peak of 25,974 weekly deaths recorded the week ending January 9, 2021, as well as the high death tolls seen in previous spring months, the CDC data shows.

Public health experts told ABC News that although the U.S. is in a better situation than it was a few years ago, COVID still poses a threat, especially to high-risk populations.

Dr. Tony Moody, a professor of pediatrics and infectious diseases at Duke University Medical Center, explained that ongoing deaths indicate the virus is still spreading and people continue to catch it.

Experts cited several reasons why COVID deaths persist, including low vaccination rates, waning immunity, and insufficient access to treatments.

During the 2024-25 season, only 23% of adults aged 18 and older had received the updated COVID-19 vaccine as of the week ending April 26, according to CDC data. Among children, just 13% were vaccinated with the updated shot during the same period.

Dr. Gregory Poland, a vaccinologist and president of the Atria Research Institute, suggested that the low vaccine uptake contributes to the ongoing deaths. Additionally, some vaccinated individuals may not develop strong immunity.

Poland noted, “Some people may be genetically predisposed to respond poorly to vaccines. More commonly, immunocompromised individuals cannot mount an adequate immune response.”

He added that vaccine immunity decreases over time, which raises the risk of infection. This is why the current guidance recommends two doses of the updated vaccine six months apart for those aged 65 and older.

“Another factor in COVID deaths is older age, where immune function declines — a process called immunosenescence,” Poland explained. “In addition, older adults often have accumulated other health conditions that increase risk.”

CDC data shows that people aged 75 and older currently face the highest COVID death rate, at 4.66 deaths per 100,000.

Available COVID treatments include antiviral pills such as molnupiravir (from Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics) and Paxlovid (from Pfizer). Both must be started within five days of symptom onset and are taken twice daily for five days—molnupiravir as four pills each time and Paxlovid as three.

There is also remdesivir, an intravenous drug that must be administered within seven days of symptom onset.

Dr. Moody pointed out, “I think we aren’t fully utilizing the treatments available. Many patients who receive these medications experience significant benefits, and clinical trials support their effectiveness.”

He added that some patients delay seeking medical care until symptoms worsen, or do not get tested for COVID at all, which means they miss out on timely treatment.

“There are definitely people who are infected but remain undiagnosed and untreated,” Moody said. He emphasized that regular testing isn’t necessary for everyone, but high-risk individuals should test more frequently.